Horses kept in fields have significant welfare advantages over stabled animals but face specific welfare challenges around social isolation, grass management and seasonal stress.
Horses kept alone in fields suffer chronic loneliness and show stereotypic behaviours including fence walking and wood chewing as symptoms of social deprivation. Unmanaged spring grass causes laminitis in susceptible individuals. Without shelter, field-kept horses in cold wet conditions risk welfare harm from exposure and reduced ability to maintain body temperature. Ensuring social companionship, managed grazing and access to natural shelter or field shelters addresses the primary welfare risks of field-kept management.